


Second Chances - Tales of Remnant

by EnlightenedCrayon



Series: Tales of Remnant [1]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Major Original Character(s), Original Character(s), Originally Posted Elsewhere
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-27
Updated: 2016-08-16
Packaged: 2018-05-23 11:05:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6114558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EnlightenedCrayon/pseuds/EnlightenedCrayon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>RWBY.<br/>A wonderful fairy tale. Awesome music, lovely and epic characters, terrifying monsters and everlasting racism and geopolitical bull#.<br/>Would someone please explain me how in earth I ended in Remnant?<br/>Now that I am here, I might as well try and help. But not everyone wants aid.<br/>Rated T.<br/>Warning: Mild swearing & other f-words. Mostly the lyrics.<br/>Otherwise a fairly T-themed fic, I guess.<br/>Alternative Timeline; OC's; etc.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. EP 1 - Liftoff

 

**Second Chances - Tales of Remnant**

_1 - Liftoff_

It was a Sunday evening. A faint breeze of fall made its way through the park as I walked along a pond and noticed something shining.  
The wind wiped a few golden leaves off the ground and then I saw it.

I was so happy. I am by no means a coin or medallion collector in any fashion, but everyone knew about the Apollo medallions. They were ...not even one in a million but super mega rare. My love for spaceflight and coins was flaring up and...(yeah, I lied, I do collect coins,...don't judge me) I didn't notice the dark clouds forming above the city.

I sat down on a bench to admire the work of art in my hands.

_Sending out your army, but you still can't win;_  
_Listen up, silly boy, 'cuz I'm gonna tell you why..._

The music was still blaring out of my earphones, I realized it was way too loud to be healthy.  
I just left them fall onto my shoulders instead of lowering the volume. That was so not-me, but I guess I was still enthralled by the coin.

_Reign supreme?_  
_in your dreams you'll never make me bow kick my ass?_  
_I'm world class and super saiyan now_

When did we stop venturing the unknown?  
Why was the moon not a priority anymore? It was depressing. They were investing all the resources into all but the important things.  
The people and research.  
But well, you could dream, right? Maybe my generation would still be able to see the stars again, to reach for the unknown and embrace it.

_Shit will never be the same;_  
_Feel the fury of my flame._  
_Beg for mercy: it won't help;_  
_Embrace the ending you were dealt_

Maybe I should go to the police and ask if someone misses a medallion. It was the least I could do, no matter how much I liked this coin.

_I burn!_  
_Can't hold me now,_  
_You got nothing that can stop me_

I stood up from the bench and as I was about to take my first step, a loud roar and a blinding light startled me and the coin slipped off my hand. A lightning had struck the pond or one of the trees around it, but nothing seemed burnt at least. All of this happened in just an instant. Then I noticed the lack of weight in my hand and my eyes darted up to the coin, still flying and making an arc towards the pond.

With a simple 'splash!' the coin was gone. It landed about an arms length away from the border, so I decided it was worth to try and recover it.  
I stopped the music as I now could hear it again, the thunder must have left me pretty deaf for a minute, and the music was still going on. I turned it off and I stowed the earphones away. I packed both my mobile phone and earphones into the suitcase and put my jacket on top of it. I laid both neatly on the ground beside me.  
I shouldn't risk falling into the pond with all of my belongings.

Opening my right sleeve, I rolled it up and kneeled on the edge of the pond.

Just before I touched the water I wondered about the lightning... Nah, water can't store an electric current indefinitely, right?  
Right?  
Well here goes nothing.  
I buried my hand into the water and stretched my fingers but I couldn't feel anything besides algae.  
What the hell, I thought and laid down on the grass, I could wash my shirt anytime later.

I lunged forward with my arm and after the mud settled, something shiny glanced at me,  
just a little too far away of my reach.

With my face almost touching the water and half of my body suspended over the pond just by stubbornness and strong back muscles, I managed to get a hold on the coin. But I couldn't pull it out.  
It was stuck in the mud.  
I tried again, and this time, I lost my hold on the edge of the pond and fell inside, my suitcase and jacket following as well.

It was a shallow pond but as I looked up, it seemed as I was worlds away from the surface.  
I've never been this deep.  
The suitcase and jacket were floating down towards me when I noticed the flash. The same I had seen minutes before.  
**_a lightning_**  
It all happened within a heartbeat but it seemed somehow longer.  
I hoped it would strike a tree but somehow it broke through the surface of the pond and wriggled with an astounding speed towards the bottom, where _**I**_ was lying.  
Why would a lightning...? ..And I looked down to the palm of my hand. The silver coin in my hand.  
In a body full of water. I was about to become a most certainly fried man. I closed my eyes.

But it didn't hurt.  
I don't even know what happened. Or if anything happened. But after the blinding flash was gone and the thunder resonated through the water, I opened my eyes.  
It was the same dark sky as before but it was already night.

I grabbed my jacket and suitcase which were at the bottom, buried in the mud.  
Not letting the coin out of my grip, no matter what, I swam up and got to the edge of the pond.

I dragged myself out of the water and I pulled my drenched leather jacket and suitcase with me.  
All my belongings were probably effed up, so I tried to open my suitcase, to try and dry them.  
In vain.  
I couldn't manage to open it. It was like wrestling against magnets.  
Giving up, I looked around me and other than the missing bench, everything seemed the same.  
Not counting the sudden snow in the park. How long was I scuba diving?  
Did I hit my head at some point?  
Besides, any dive longer than a few minutes without air meant sure death.  
Judging by the amount of snow lying around I must have been a whole month in the pond.

I missed also the city lights. It was rather nice and quiet and I had always liked this kind of solitude, but it was a rare occurrence for a city, big as this, to experience a complete blackout.

Looking down onto the palm of my hand, I took a look at the retrieved coin.  
I was about to speak to the coin and say it better be worth it, but I corrected myself.  
Of course was it worth the small dive I took.  
I wondered, it was a lot heavier out of the water.  
It was getting heavier by the minute. I must be exhausted.  
Soaked and slightly disoriented, I looked around.  
Behind the pond was a burning tree. The lightning must have struck it as well.  
Even if I walked back home, it would take an hour to get there, so I instinctively sat down and let the embers and lingering flames warm my body and dry my clothing.

As the numbness was receding and my body got warmer, I noticed some crows watching the scene from their branches, or rather theater loge boxes. Yes, a tragic opera unfolded infront of their unknowing eyes.  
Myself, a poor greek hero. I still hadn't decided if it was a comedy or tragedy.  
They must have watched the whole show I put on this ...rather snowy stage.  
With a touch of irony, I bowed in front of my unsuspecting and rather feathered audience.  
When I tried to shoo them away...I remembered the hypocrisy of this, as it was me rather invading their home than the other way around.

I packed my things, feeling warm and dried enough and ...didn't know where to go.

My orientation had been always out of the ordinary -in a positive sense-  
but right now, it wasn't working at all.

Maybe the park is really disorienting by night. If there wasn't a moon behind the clouds, I would've tripped over my own steps already.

I walked towards the direction I think I came from, only to get lost again.  
This was maddening, I mean, I usually wouldn't lose my cool over something like this but being honest,  
I was starving. And you don't want to meet the hungry beast in my stomach.

The snow glowed brighter as I noticed the cloud cover was scattering and what I saw, stopped me _in. my. tracks._  
Just what the hell was happening?  
The moon...a...I ... I knew the moon, it was something that had always fascinated me, but this moon was definitely not the one I knew.

A big chunk of it was broken into many pieces, an unknown force holding them close together.

Unless something really, really world changing happened while I was on the pond, I must have been going crazy.

Keeping my sanity - until I got somewhere I could talk to other people - would be of paramount importance.

I began running through the park...and got the impression it was bigger, a lot bigger than I remembered.  
It was a forest.

And I looked over my shoulder, a dark big shadow was trailing behind of me...it...looked like a giant, rabid black wolf.

I chuckled while I kept running 'where is Van Helsing when you need him?' I asked, mostly for myself.  
At this point, I was completely sure I was insane. But that wasn't enough to stop running.  
You can never be hundred percent sure. Right?

At some point, I felt his breath behind me and I managed to swing my suitcase around, batting one of its fangs away from me.  
I tripped and the creature growled, lunging at me.

Not having anything but my suitcase to protect myself, I tried to punch it with my other hand, I swung with all my force and was surprised to discover _a blade_ sticking out of its stomach.  
_A_ blade _I_ was holding in _my_ hand.

The creature let out a small gasp and dissolved into ashes, being blown away by a sudden winter gale.

It left a shining sword in front of my eyes. What was this? How did this?...and I looked into my hand closely. At the end of the hilt was a medallion I instantly recognized. Apollo.

I was awestruck, I certainly liked swords but I knew nothing about them.  
And this sword was strikingly beautiful, if you can put that to words somehow.

A sword hidden in a small medallion was one of the things I knew wasn't normal, even for massive ignorance regarding swordbearing knowledge, I knew that wasn't possible.

Taking a look at my suitcase, I noticed 3 deep incisions into the leather. It hadn't pierced through, probably because of the titan innards but a bigger question was still hanging around.

What the actual fuck was going on?!

And what was that thing!  
The closest thing I could imagine were Werewolves and I was pretty sure those were simple folk legends.  
I _was_ sure of that...

Looking up again, I noticed a small light in the distance, it was flickering in the wind.

Closing in, I noticed a small, wooden house. With a small lantern hanging by the door.

A safe harbour for the night? Maybe.

I just don't want to bother those people this late in the night...

I looked down at my wrist watch and...it was going slightly backwards. As in ..the _opposite_ direction backwards.

Certainly, I couldn't be more impressed after the Werewolf. A defective watch was almost ordinary.

I knocked at the door and a handsome lady opened up.

And remember I said I could not be impressed by anything more?

Strike that, this lady had ears.

I mean...cat ears!

'Ahm. _Good evening_?'

' _..._ ' I ...was at a loss of words.

'Staring is impolite'

'Ah ...I a...am...I'm sorry, I just got attacked by a really big beast and I am a little disoriented'

'A Grimm?' Where did I hear that before. Brothers Grimm?  
'Just come in, I will close the door'

I stepped into the small wooden house and uttered my thanks.

'Don't worry, this far into the forest at this hour is suicide if you aren't an adventurer, a huntsman or someone dying for a thrill'

'I guess'

The stranger was still staring at her ears.

'Didn't I told you it was rude to stare? Don't you have any fauns there where you come from?'

'Being completely honest, I think I've never seen a faun in Europe either'

'Ah Europe, is that where you come from?'

'You could say so'

This man was certainly mysterious.

'And where is this Europe?'

...yeah, I know, quite irrelevant nowadays, right?

'I ...' I feigned ignorance...What could I else say?  
' I can't remember, I woke up in the middle of the forest and didn't even know how I got there'

There was some truth to his words, at least, she pondered.  
He would surely say more when he had calmed down.

She looked down and saw his suitcase, sporting some clear, long cuts along the surface.

'You were _attacked_?' she raised an eyebrow

'Ahm. _Yes_ , that was the first thing I said' he smirked

'I just thought you ran and hid until the beast was gone' she was visibly amazed I was alive.  
Or that my suitcase withstood the attack. Or maybe _both_.

'Yes, I managed to defend me long enough to make use of my ...sword here'

I held up my "pocket sword" into the light. Her eyes shone in the light.

She had always had a thing for swords, though she preferred to carry daggers. Way easier to conceal.

'What's its name?'

'My pardon?'

'Your sword, its name?'

Ah. I ... _what?_  
Improvise Owen, improvise.

'Apollo'

'Nice name. Outlandish, but strong, I like it'

How come I can even understand her? I don't even speak english!  
Whatever, what the eye does not see, the heart does not grieve over.

'Let me introduce myself, I am Owen and you?'

'Oh, 'her cheeks took a different shade of red.. 'I am sorry...'

'Hello Sorry...' I deadpanned

She laughed 'come on, I said I was sorry not introducing myself.'  
'I am Myra'

I extended my hand and shook her ...paw? It was a hand but ...  
I better not overthink things...

'You seemed quite eager to learn the name of my sword before mine'

'It's just...I've learned the hard way that here, out in this forest, the swords outlive their bearers most of the time'

I was a little terrified. Just a little.

She looked down, slightly ashamed, for not asking my name or for what she would say next, I don't know.  
'...and I really like swords, knives, daggers and the sort'

Honesty and kindness. I liked this catgirl already. I smiled.

And then it dawned on me.

I must have looked weird.

'Owen, you are creeping me out. And quit staring already'

This guy was smiling and his eyes were wide open, like he had seen an unstoppable train rushing for him on his birthday. If that made any sense.

I snapped out of it. FUCK. _I know where I am!_ Remnant, the world of RWBY!  
How could I've been so blind!

'Owen? Now you are frowning. Are you sure you are alright'

'I just...realized something'

'And...?'

'Ah...nevermind'

'Aw come on, you first creep me out and now play the mysterious kind, spill it out' she demanded.

How could I change the subject? Maybe something that worked both ways.

'I must go to Vale. How long do you think it would take to get there?'

'By horse, a week, but if you get to the next town, you could use maybe a faster transportation method'

'Like what?'

'I don't know, I've always travelled by horse'

I realized I had a little problem. Or rather big. Depending of your priorities in life.

'I don't have any money, how long would it take if I walked?'

'Don't be silly, I could lend you a horse and some money'

'Just like that?'

'Just like that. Let me just satiate my curiosity. What did you realize just now?'

...at this point, I know exactly what I am supposed to do. No. What I _want_ to do.

'I just want to ... save the world' he smiled but she noticed a certain sadness flash in his eyes, if just for a moment.

She smiled but didn't laugh. She reclined on her seat and seemed to reminisce in the past.  
A grin creeped up her face.

'Who didn't want that at some point in their lives? Who am I to stop you.  
I will help you get to Vale'

Ahm Ok?  
I took a swig of the fresh water she had poured for me and asked  
'Just like that?'

'Yeah. I must travel to the town anyway, one day earlier or later doesn't make a difference'  
...'Just like that'

I was positively surprised. And then my body reminded me of some dire needs.  
My stomach rumbling aloud being the first.

'I take it you are hungry?'

'Yeahh definetely' and a big yawn, being the second 'Sorry'

'Nah, it's ok.  
I will put some food on the stove. I haven't eaten either, I was trying to make a diet but I certainly won't be able to resist if I cook now' she gave me a sly smile.

'I guess it's fish, right?'  
I think, I might be an undercover asshole sometimes.

She smirked and felt confident enough to state her mind.

'Owen?'

'Yes?

'Asshat'

I laughed. Yeah that wasn't very tactful of me.

'As a matter of fact, I had some leftover stew with potatoes, probably the last for this season'

'You don't have to share your best dishes with me, just something to keep my stomach quiet through the night'

'Don't be silly, I will call you when it's done'

I was left by my own devices, so I took out Apollo again and took a closer look at it.

It was incredible. As if it could read my mind, the whole sword just zipped back into the coin,  
the coin itself becoming very light, but heavier than you would expect from a coin of that size.  
Even a silver coin like this one.

Putting the coin on the table, I grabbed my suitcase and took a closer look at it.

It was already old and had accompanied me on may adventures in a more civilized world...  
Who am I kidding? Just the _normal_ world. Not more _civilized_.

Myra served the dishes and looked expectantly at me.

'And what is the name of your shield?'

'Shield?'  
I looked down at my case.

'It shielded you, that must be your shield, right?' She raised a brow.

'Right...'  
For some reason, making up a name now was a difficult task. It must have been the exhaustion.  
I took a quick look over it and came up with a name...it was pretty scratched but it read...  
'Samnite'

'Samnite? That sounds quite unique'

'I guess it is' ...just realizing the historical context of that word. Well, that was a nice coincidence.  
I smirked and asked '...do you have a thing for shields as well?'

She blushed 'No, I just like swords. Shields are clumsy and can cost you a lot of agility.  
Why stop an attack if you can just dodge it and attack instead'

'Ah, dangerous lady'

...'without even stopping at all, wasting your energy?

'She is smart' Did I just said that aloud?

'Of course I am!' she feigned a pout but I didn't took the bait.

'Smart or dangerous?' I poured rhetoric gasoline unto me and waited for her to light the fire.

Oops. I need to keep my tongue in check.

I just grinned at her and she motioned to the dining table. _Phew_ , she didn't flay me alive. That was a good thing.

After eating a meal meant for gods, she lend me some blankets and a pillow.  
I would sleep on the couch-ness made of logs and branches.  
Better than with the horses in the stable, she told me.

The next morning, after an uneventful night, we washed up and set everything for the journey.

This would be probably the biggest adventure of my life.

Just outside the stable, we prepared the horses and I was glad for the company Myra provided.  
'I am glad you are joining me on my quest, at least for this part of it, my fair _catlady_ '

'For I will enjoy it' Myra grinned, showing her white fangs and in a swift move, she mounted her snowy Pony. She didn't seem fazed by the remark.

I just looked at my horse. It was seemingly bigger than a monster truck.  
It was black. And mighty.

And then I realized, I had no idea how to ride a horse.  
_She planned for my suffering_. I should have been nicer to her

*sigh* 'This will suck'  
I only heard Myra snickering in the backround.  
  


* * *

 

_One life,_  
_Is not a long time,_  
_When you're waiting,_  
_For a small sign_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _A/N:_  
>   
> 
> **Salutations! __**  
> So hello everybody.  
>  I had not planned for this, but today I suddenly started writing this fic.  
> I wrote in a day more than in 3 years for my other fics, so I think it is a good thing.  
> I hope you enjoy the journey and I am willing to read any constructive criticism you may want to share with me.  
> Encouraging words are also appreciated. I prefer private messages over comments/reviews, but you may state your opinion as you wish. Please log in before you comment so I can get back to you on that, otherwise it will be considered a pointless comment and will get deleted.
> 
> ~ _EC_
> 
>  
> 
> _ps: I am a_ **terrible** perfectionist. I will come back and fix minor errors as I find them, if there are any  
> 


	2. 2 - Gentle Spirits

Second Chances - Tales of Remnant

2 - Gentle Spirits  
  


So there I was: Lying in the snow on a beautiful, sunny day somewhere in Remnant.  
My back hurt badly. The horse was mocking me and Myra couldn't hold her laughter.  
Holding her head with her hands she briefly entretained the thought of mocking him, but it was cruel already  
'You could've told me you never rode a horse before'  
'Ughn, it's not like that. I just lack talent in that department. Like, completely'  
'Come here, let me show you. You can still walk, can you?'  
I tested my luck and got up, slowly.  
'Yes, only my pride is broken and back hurting, but I am fine'

The girl with the plum hair and cat ears smiled at me with a humorous gleam in her eyes.

After some failed tries and not so failed attempts, I managed to get a hold on the horse and could stay on it. She showed me a couple of moves and after a couple of minutes I felt confident enough to begin the journey.

This girl will be my death. At the pace we were going, I wouldn't even know when it happened.

With the wind rushing at my face, I imagined the overture of William Tell would be an adequate theme for my, possibly, last race.  
In times of great danger, humor is always a better prospect than fear.  
It would be a good death. Having fun and in nice company.  
But I still had some plans in life, so I decided to stay glued on the horse as we were blazing the path through the freshly fallen snow.

Myra was having a great time, enjoying that for once, someone was even more clumsy with a horse than she was.  
Well, at least when she first tried it. She had gotten quite confident riding a horse in the last years.  
They would ride the horses at full speed if possible, Myra didn't want to spend the night in the forest. That's why she had a certain day to travel in mind, where she would meet with wandering merchants and could sleep, if necessary, somewhat protected from the hazards of the forest.

With Owen riding along, she could manage as well or so she figured.  
In any case, she rode her horse in a quick manner, evidently trying to reach the town before nightfall.

I was scared at first, but after a while, riding the horse at speeds beyond my imagination was thrilling, even fun.  
I just had to be sure to remain on the road, twisted ankles and broken bones weren't a nice prospect for the weekend.

Weekend? I don't even know which day it is.

A couple of hours later, she decided to slow down, to my relief and the horses' as well.

'We will stop soon and eat something and let the horses rest. But not yet, just slowing down, I don't want to kill the horses'

I was glad. 'Yeah, that would be pretty inconvenient. Wait. What about me?'  
'I haven't decided yet if I will chew your face off'  
'Really, it doesn't taste good, I know, I've bitten my tongue like 5 times since we departed'  
She grinned and after a while, we stopped by a small river.

She told me to unpack some sandwiches she had stowed in my bag and a water canteen.

She reached for her own bag and gave the horses some fruits.

We would stop for twenty minutes, enough for the horses and our sore bottoms, she explained.  
I was actually flabbergasted the horses were still in one piece, but hey, what do I know about horses, she's gotta know their limits.

After munching my first sandwich, a thought crossed my mind.

'Myra, can faunus and humans...you know...?' I gave her the _look_.

She gave me a knowing smile and scratched one of her cat ears 'Oh, I see what you are getting at... yes you are rather handsome, in a rugged way, but still...'

My spider-sense was freaking out. Call it chastity police.

'Waitwaitwait I didn't mean it like that. Don't get me wrong, no offence. You are a beautiful girl'  
Owen was blushing profusely and Myra loved it to see him lose his calm demeanor.  
That, until she heard the compliment. Now she was the one visibly blushing.  
'What, no cat jokes?' Her sly grin again.  
'I was tempted, but I thought once in a while, harmless honesty could do you well'  
'Thanks. No offense taken. So, you were asking?'  
He chuckled 'It's just there aren't any faunus where I come from and I was wondering what happens if they get together, I mean Humans and Faunus. Don't look like that, I don't like to be ignorant if I can help it.

'Hm'

'Well?'

'I ...rather... I don't really know...I mean it _works_...' she resisted the urge to motion with her hands  
'...but I don't know if it can actually lead to a family in that sense'

'Hmm ok, so have you ever seen mixed families?'  
'I don't come to the town that much, to be honest'  
'Admitting ignorance is not a sin, you know?'  
'Argh ok, I just don't know. I'm quite the introvert and never came to the town if I could help it. My master always handled the business side of things, I avoided coming to the town'  
'And why is that?'  
'I...don't know...' She frowned, trying to remember something.  
'You don't know much, do ya?'  
She punched me on the shoulder and smiled a bit, but she looked hurt.  
'Sorry, did I say something wrong?' I feigned a sore shoulder. Yes, use the guilt, Luke.  
'No, it's just, I can't remember...there is a lot I can't remember from when I was little'  
She almost looked depressed, but the expression left her face as fast as it came.  
I tried to change the topic, unaware that I would fail miserably.

'You mentioned a master, did you just exchange roles or...?'

'Well, he is actually my uncle, but he taught me everything I do and know about forging and bending and such I've been living with him since I was 5 and I can't remember much from before'

Forge? Bend? 'I didn't ask before, what do you do for a living?'

'I am a Blacksmith, well I haven't done anything but weapons, so I would say I am rather a sword smith and I was a gunsmith apprentice but... my uncle disappeared a year ago'

Well shit. Great change of depressing topics, Owen.

'I'm sorry to hear that, do you have any clues?'

'No, I just hope he is all right. He usually left a note when he had to leave in a hurry or to attend something important.

'He had done that before?'

'Yes, once he disappeared for two nights. He never told me why but I guess every man has his secrets'  
She winked at me, she was really flirting with me. Heh. What's not to like?

After that, we resumed our trot to the town until our bodies and mind where exhausted.  
We stopped at a glade. It was already dark.

We decided to light a small fire as it kept smaller animals away and the big ones would come anyway, it was better being able to see them.  
Regarding Myra, I guess she could see them anyway  
Despite my night vision being beyond ordinary, it couldn't compete against hers.

I volunteered for the first watch.  
I hadn't forgotten my last encounter with a Grimm, but now I felt a lot more confident knowing I was wielding weapons and could defend myself.  
Being completely honest, I had no idea how to use them effectively. I just hoped I wouldn't need them yet.

I unfolded Apollo, her shine only accentuating the beautiful lines.  
Yes, I'm talking about the sword, Myra was sleeping behind my back, perverts.  
I let my suitcase down on my side. I hadn't tried to open it again.  
I took it and placed it on my lap.  
I saw the long gashes on the side, even some small scratches on the titanium innards.  
Letting one of those claws come close was most certainly a bad idea.

For most of the night, nothing happened.  
Besides a few birds and crows, no other animals seemed to approach us.

The horses nickered a couple of times but remained mostly quiet and calm.

The moon seemed less broken than last night. I guess I will need to ask her sometime about moon cycles.

After the moon had moved across most of the starry dome above us, I remembered Myra's turn was due long ago.  
I had decided to let her rest a while longer but forgot completely to wake her up.

I gently patted Myra's shoulder. That didn't faze her in the slightest.  
I tried again, to no avail.  
Now I ran my finger along her exposed arm. That should definitely wake her up.  
But it didn't.  
This being an emergency (as I really needed to sleep), I had to resort to more drastic measures.

I tickled her waistline.

'Aghnn you are no fun' ...so she was feigning it!  
'You evil woman, I tried to wake you up for minutes, you were faking it all the time'  
'No, no I just woke up with the tickle' she lied, it had been the arm.  
And she liked it. Of course she would never tell him that.

He smiled at her. If they weren't in the wilderness, he would have let her sleep, but he needed to be alert as well, until they reached the town.  
...he wouldn't mind to lay on her side...he shook off that thought and chuckled to himself.  
' 'You up?'  
'Just a sec, ggggaaahhhnn' she stretched, like a cat would do, _totally_ unexpected, he mused.  
But how different are cats from humans really in that regard? Not at all.  
'How long did I sleep?  
'6 hours, I think' That, if his clock was working at all.  
She looked surprised and held her scroll out. 'You are right, but why didn't you wake me up earlier? We said _4_ hours each'  
'Yeah but you looked like you really needed it and I only need to close my eyes for a while, I can rest later in the town'  
' 'You sure?'  
'Yeahh' he yawned. Damn, he was really tired.  
'Ok then, I kept your spot warm' she grinned and patted at the sleeping bag.  
'Very funny', Owen slid into the blankets and smirked. Finally some shut eye.  
'Good night'  
'Thanks, stay sharp, Paws'  
She punched him lightly on the arm before standing up, chuckling and finding a spot to keep watch.  
That elicited a unconscious smile from him, who was already asleep.

The neighing horses woke me up.

My eyes were open in an instant, my hand on my sword a moment later.

Myra came crashing over me just as I was sitting up. That definitely woke me up.

She was panting and seemed to be hurt. I looked immediately past her and saw it. A Grimm. As big as the last one.

I sensed my grip on the sword getting tenser, feeling the weight.  
'Are you ok?'

'Yes, try to keep it away from the horses, I will unbind them'  
She hissed and limped towards our equine companions.  
'You are in no shape to free them, the beast will catch you at once'  
'Doesn't matter, as soon as I buckle up, we might be able to outrun it.  
I stood between the beast and Myra. It wasn't pretty.  
Apollo heaved in my hand. It was excited. But was _I_?  
I hefted Samnite, I would need it.

The beast's patience came to an end. It growled at me and looked towards Myra and the horses.  
I growled back and demanded its attention. No way I would let him pass.  
I must be pretty stupid. Or brave. Most definitely stupid.  
I lurched at it before it could jump at Myra. With one swing of the claws, it send me crashing against a tree.  
Luckily, I blocked the blow with Samnite.  
I jumped up and looked back at the tree, splintered to pieces. Damn. 'This will hurt like hell later...'  
The one good thing about the whole situation was the Grimm having lost interest in Myra. At least for now.  
I was about to ask when Myra whispered 'Done, hurry up and hop on!'  
I was happy to oblige.  
But the beast had blocked any possible path. No way I would be lucky twice in a week.  
The creature decided to turn around and make a dash for Myra.  
Just like that, its fate was decided, I jumped at it, blocked one of its instinctive slashes with Samnite and thrusted the sword into its neck. But it wasn't enough to bring it down.  
He swerved at me and I jumped back before his claws could hit me.  
In that instant, Myra was on his back and making quick cuts with her daggers. The Grimm threw one of its arms around and hit Myra.  
She didn't fall off it but her daggers went flying and when the Grimm attacked again, she unsheathed her claws instinctively and slashed at the neck of the beast, injuring it but not enough for it to break its attack.

She wasn't fast enough to dodge one of the blows and hitting her, sent her across the road.

'Fuck, Myra!'  
She didn't respond. I wouldn't be able to come close with the beast between us.  
And the Grimm decided to go for her prone, unmoving form.  
I was _pissed_.  
Dashing at him, I let Apollo slide back into the coin and let it jump forward when I was close enough, making a decisive cut into its neck.  
It staggered and swerved around, punching me to the ground.  
_This is it, folks._  
I saw the huge beast falling towards me, it would crush me, but it fell apart before it finally made _pancakes with jam_ out of me.  
Not a second too late.  
Shaking the daze off my mind, I leaped up and ran to Myra's unconscious form.  
I crouched at her side. Other than a few scratches and dirt, she seemed almost as in a relaxed slumber.  
She had been extremely lucky. The Grimm hit her with the back of its hand.  
I reached for her neck and looked for any injuries.  
Finding none, I decided to wake her up, in the most fitting manner.

'Hnnn, why do you have to tickle me every time?!'

'Because it works. Are you ok?'

'Yes, I might even _walk_ again' Her eyebrows travelled exaggeratedly up and down while she talked, obviously teasing me.  
I was a little worried at that remark.  
'Gosh, can't you take a little joke? Look at your face. I'm fine Owen'  
I helped her up and felt it...  
She had a surprisingly strong aura.  
'I'd thought that blow had got the best of you'  
'It seems I'm not that easy to take out'  
Remembering a conversation from earlier that day, he asked 'And you still prefer daggers over swords?'  
'Maybe I should carry a sword for those situations, but for the city, I'd still prefer daggers'  
'Seems reasonable. So. Do you want to rest some more?' I smirked 'I'm in a so-not-sleeping mood right now' Her eyes showed concern but her white fangs meant a more humorous note.

'Let's buckle up, maybe we can get there before sunrise' I commented at her growl.

We rode at a lighter pace, slow enough to talk.

'So you want to tell me, you'd never fought against one of those?'

'No, mostly small Grimm dogs and wolves, never something this big.'  
'You were pretty reckless back there, Myra'  
She looked down 'maybe'

After that, we remained silent most of the time.

We rode through the dawn, the dampness hanging in the air, when we saw the first lights in the distance. They were turning off the lamps.

They tied up the horses and filled up a water bucket for them.

We went to the transportation office, still closed this early in the morning, so we decided to breakfast.

Myra found an open bakery and we sat down. She ordered some biscuits and some tea for both of us.  
We enjoyed the respite and company, wholly invested in our breakfast.  
After we finished, I motioned for the waiter until I saw Myra's confused expression. I forgot she was paying. I was certainly embarrassed.  
Myra simply grinned, knowing she would not get to see Owen blushing very often, or so she thought.

The sun was already up when we exited the local and I sensed trouble when one guy in charcoal clothes and wielding a whip approached us.  
They had a black ornate symbol inside a white circle. The symbol resembled a person with a whip and a pistol, a dust crystal hovering over its head.  
Owen would notice it just in passing, but he wouldn't forget the symbol.  
What really alerted him were the other two guys walking a few meters behind him, leering at Myra, holding their own whips with clenched fists. Now we were truly surrounded.  
He also didn't miss the first guy trying to grab Myra's hand before she had swiftly withdrawn it.

The oldest one wanted to teach both of them a lesson they would never forget and maybe, if he timed it right, he could enjoy himself before he had to dispose of her later.  
Killing the human would be regretful but necessary if he posed any resistance.

Fear may work on him, like it usually worked, the thug thought for a moment, but the guy was faster than him and had already taken a defensive stance between them and the cat whore.  
So it was decided. 'I have no fear to punish you, scum of this earth. Fuck off or pay your betrayal with your life'

So he was talking to me then.  
'I could say the same, but that would be lame now. Back off. Leave her alone. I won't ask you twice' Owen said, in a very nonchalant way.

'Owen, let us simply go' I heard the fear in her voice. So she knew this kind of scum. I grudgingly accepted.  
I took her hand and as soon as we had turned around, the other two blocked our way.  
'I guess there is no peaceful outcome of this situation' I whispered to her.  
'Let us pass or I will...' Owen started but was interrupted...  
'Yeah, show us, oh dangerous ranger' one of the thugs interrupted.  
I looked at Myra and now it was obvious to me why she avoided the city. Something had happened already before.

I decided to be blunt. 'Fine, let me be perfectly clear'  
He leapt forward and dealt the bigger one a powerful but clean slash across the chest.  
The thug was evidently not prepared for his sudden attack and jolted before being hit. The slash sent him crashing against a railing.  
The guy was stunned, his aura dropped low. Very low, he could feel it. 'Ah guys, we should really back off' He nervously babbled.  
I must say, I didn't expect that It seemed my blows were dealing a lot more damage than they should.  
'Listen to this guy, don't make me stain my boots with your blood'  
Owen noticed the other two not backing out of the fight. They intended to continue.  
The big guy was out and had already crawled behind some crates.  
Surrender didn't seem like an desirable option, so Owen decided to make them draw their weapons and let them make the first move.  
' _Please_?' he teased.

Both attacked at the same time. Owen gently pushed Myra to the side and motioned her to make room for him, which she conceded.

The brown haired, younger boy slashed at him first.  
An attack which Owen dodged, batting the concealed axe away with his suitcase, which surprised both of the assailants. Owen made a quick dash and slashed at the older one of them, stunning him and pinning him to the ground.  
They seemed to be inexperienced in combat. At least more than he was himself.  
'Quantity over quality, is it everywhere the same shitty mindset?'  
The older one tried to get up, only to look at a very sharp blade, very close to his face.  
'Don't. One more blow and your mother will get a fruit basket and some flowers'  
That seemed to work, as he visibly slumped.  
Before the young boy could lunge at him, Owen shouted instinctively over his shoulder 'Don't even think about it, junior. I'd be sad to put an end to such youth. You may still learn to coexist with _different_ cultures, so please, leave the bad influences behind and I won't have to kill you'  
The youngster hesitated until Owen stared for a moment angrily over his shoulder, not leaving the pinned guy out of sight.  
'Ah, yes sir...thanks?, I will try'  
'Don't _try_ , do it. Now go away before I reconsider'  
I heard him run away and then I looked at both criminals with a fierce and determined look.  
'I don't want so see you ever in this town again'  
'We won't list...'  
'I said _fucking_ never. There is no bargaining here. Does it seem like _I_ had a sword inches from _my_ nose? No? Bingo.  
Listen, maggot. I'm giving you two options. A death promise or retreat and reflect on your stupidity.  
And in no case your body shall remain in this town'  
Harsher talk seemed to seep to the thug's brain, as he stood up and motioned the other goon to retreat.

After both were out of earshot, Myra approached and drew my attention, grabbing my hand.  
'Owen, I am impressed, I didn't know you had it in you'  
She noticed his hand shaking.  
'Are you allright?'  
'Yes. I just didn't want to become a _murderer_ '  
'That would be in self defense'  
'But still. You see, we avoided bloodshed, so it could be done this way. I was this close to being lazy and cutting him up' he smirked at the last remark.  
'Yeah, I guess only laziness would make you a cold blooded outlaw' She smiled, showing her fangs.  
In a more serious tone, he remarked 'If they had touched you again, I wouldn't have backed down'  
He seemed to calm down and looked her in the eye.  
'Are _you_ ok?'  
'Yes. Thank you'  
He squeezed her hand and resumed walking.

Owen didn't want to press the issue, there would be another time for asking what had happened before, he pondered.

'Here, a train schedule' she motioned for a big notice board.

'You can take a train to Patchburg and from there, you should be able to catch a small craft to the mainland, the next one should leave in 40 minutes'

He was happy, he could finally do things right.  
He didn't know it yet, but he already had.

Owen's brows furrowed for a moment. He would certainly miss her, he guessed.  
Myra looked away. She knew she would miss him, but didn't want to be a nuisance.  
'Say, Myra...how...can we communicate?', he interrupted her thoughts.

That startled her and I didn't know why.

'What do you mean by that?'

'I don't have a scroll or anything like that'

'Oh. I mean, I almost never use it, but I have a scroll with me and I gave you my address. But I see the problem. Let us get a scroll for you.'

Ah shit, I didn't mean ... 'But I don't have any m...'

'What did I tell you? You can pay me back later'

'Are you sure? I don't even know how much something like that costs'

And she wouldn't tell him, he was already stubborn as they came.  
_'Don't worry, come, let's go'_

After picking up a nice, black scroll for me, she walked along until we reached the train station and she produced me a small pouch with money. She wouldn't let me take a look though. 'Forget it. Do it in the train or leave it here'

She has a kind soul, I thought to myself.

We interchanged scroll contact information and I looked up the screen.

 _"Myra **Catweazle**_ _"_

'You've got to be kidding me' 'So much for nice introductions?' She seemed to enjoy my lack of tact, reversing an earlier occurrence.  
'Owen Crown, at your service' I made a reverence, she chuckled and then saved the name.

And when she said 'Scroll me', I had to suppress a fit of laugher. I guess this is a thing here too.  
'I will. But that goes both ways, ok?' I called, before stowing the scroll away in the pockets of my jacket.  
'Sure. Take care Owen. And thanks for saving me. Twice' Her eyes glinted for a heartbeat.  
'Nothing to thank me for' I genuinely smiled 'Thanks for the shelter, food and everything'

She pulled me into a small, shy hug and whispered 'Please, be careful' into my ear.  
I chuckled and hugged back 'I will, you too, ok? Don't go back alone, please, promise me'  
She grunted, but smirked and nodded 'Just for you'  
'And don't look for trouble either'  
She pouted 'You are no fun' and poked me with one finger.  
'You know that is not true' I pretended to give her a punch in the shoulder, which she avoided, not noticing my real goal.  
Tickle her in the waist.  
She gave a small cry and blushed 'Owen, don't humiliate me in public. I _will_ find a weakness and will use it next time we meet'  
I laughed and turned around, walking towards the train 'I am sincerely looking forward to that'  
I would miss her. I waved over my shoulder and she waved back.

I climbed the small steps and entered the wagon. She stood on the platform with crossed arms and a small frown in her face, waiting for the train to depart.  
A part of me regretted leaving her alone, but there were things needed to be done.

I looked for a free seat and stowed my suitcase between the seats. It seemed I had a full compartment for me alone.  
The train departed and I watched the snow melt and the raindrops travel through the window.

After a while, I pondered what would happen if I had been transported to the wrong era, I knew only some limited facts about the timeline. This worried me, I just wished the time was right, not too early and definitely not too late to be of any help.

A sleepless night and some more was taking its toll as my eyes were constantly trying to close.  
The compartment I was travelling in was empty.  
I could catch a nap now, I hadn't slept in a while and certainly deserved it.

I closed my eyes. I was closer to my destination.

 

* * *

 

 _Patience,_  
_Is hard to find._  
_Shadows,  
_ _Seem to fill your life._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Chapter 3 is underway, a big chunk of it was actually written as chapter 2 and I noticed the chapter getting bigger and bigger, so I decided to make a nice, clean cut.  
> I hope you enjoy!  
> ps: If you find any horrible typos or other errors, don't hesitate to point those out.  
> ps2: I prefer PM's but comments are ok!


	3. 3 - Small Stones, Long Shadows

3 - Small Stones, Long Shadows

_I just wished the time was right, not too early and definitely not too late to be of any help._

As it later turned out, you can always help, there is no such time as "right" to help someone. You just need to embrace the opportunity.

I was happily napping when I felt something brush my hand, I opened one eye and saw a figure escaping to the aisle.  
I looked down and understood at once what was happening. _Someone was trying to steal my suitcase!_

There was no point in running. I didn't think he would jump out of the train, as fast as we were going.  
Or maybe I was just being lazy, but I wouldn't push my luck, so I kept a steady trot, looking into the compartments along the way.

For some reason, my back was hurting like hell. _Just why...?_ ...and I remembered the Grimm and the tree _Ah_.

Arriving at the last wagon, I trotted until the end finding nothing suspicious.  
That is, until I thought of the toilet compartment. / That is, until I think of the toilet compartment.

I opened the door slowly, as it wasn't even closed and I saw a young blonde faunus boy and his human _partner in crime_ , brownish in hair .  
Both weren't being careful and didn't pay attention to the door.

They were trying to open my suitcase, in vain.

I thought I could tease them, there was no risk in that.

'Hey Kid, humor me, open the case' said Owen, with a grin in his face.  
In afterthought Owen would realize this kind of entrance was _really creepy_.

The human wannabe-thug shrieked, turned around and I noticed she was a girl, not a boy as I first thought.  
Her faunus crime partner didn't even flinch. He had probably heard me but didn't even care or was playing it cool.  
When he looked back, he seemed to have a certain fierceness in his eyes.

I continued my tease 'Trying to open the case? Good luck with that. Please tell me when you have opened it, there are some things I really need from that case ' The girl was still frightened.

'Believe me, not even a huge Grimm monster could open it, I doubt you can'

'A Grimm monster? Ha, I've seen a bunch of criminals in my life but never met such a bad scammer'

'Don't believe it until you see it? Turn the case around'

I was delighted seeing his eyes widen for an instant and then he frowned upon my case.  
'Nah, everybody can scratch this kind of crap'  
'You really think so? Do you have a knife?' He didn't respond.  
'Come on, I'm not teasing you or tricking you. I want you to try and scratch the metal of the case'  
'Uh, okay' he pulled a small dagger out of his pouch and was surprised when he couldn't recreate the scratches on the Titanium surface.  
'And? What do you say now?' He was already slashing at it, but it didn't even make a scratch let alone a dent.  
The boy seemed to be slowly giving up but was too stubborn to quit completely.  
'May I get my case back now?' I insisted.  
'When you get it, you will kill us and I cannot let you harm Mallorie' he put himself between me and her, waving his petty knife awkwardly.  
'No, I won't. I won't report you either, I just want my case back' I put on my best fatherly expression.  
He kept the fierceness in his eyes , but his hand shot forward and he gave me the case.  
He didn't let go at first. Owen looked into his eyes and asked 'I offered a fair trade, don't you agree?'  
'Sure'  
'Stop risking yourselves and putting your little friend here in danger'  
He let go of the case.  
'And why would I do that?'  
'Because you don't meet a nice person everyday and some day it could be the last'  
He seemed to reconsider.

'You aren't even armed, I got my knifes, why should I listen to you?'  
He was testing me. _Sure, why not_.  
'Because I am willing to let you go, unharmed, even if you tried to steal my case'  
I took Apollo out of my pocket and let it unfold, for effect.  
His eyes almost fell out of his head.  
I don't know if he was more amazed, fearsome or both.  
'Whoa, where did you get that from?'  
'Literally from other world kid, as my case'

The girl was barely audible but I managed to hear what she had said 'Please mister, don't harm Sam, he is always looking for trouble.' She looked away and whispered '...but he is a good person'  
I had already guessed he had some good traits despite his awkwardness. Call it intuition.  
I risked it and offered my hand. 'I'm Owen. Travelling Hero'  
The boy snorted but still shook my hand 'You don't look like a hero', a dismissive look in his face.  
'Why not?' I retorted  
'You simply don't look like one. You have a scruffy beard'  
'Oh and how is a hero supposed to look?' Owen scratched unwittingly his chin.  
'They...well they wear armor and...they ride on horses. And they are powerful mages and hunters too' the girl interjected.  
'You are probably right, I'm no hero yet. But I might still try' A smile formed in Owen's face. 'You can always start by being nice to other people, don't ya think?'  
'Sir, how do you become a hero?' I heard the girl ask.  
'I guess helping other people is of upmost importance. Avoiding unnecessary bloodshed is also important. I think even people who do bad things are able to learn and do good deeds, what do you say? You can always try to redeem yourself'  
'Hm hm' she nodded shyly. Sam was blushing gently, I guess he was getting the message.  
'Do you have a ticket for the train?' I asked both of them.  
'We don't need one. We can hide in the toilet until we reach Patchburg'  
'And what happens if you get caught?'  
The girl spoke first 'We would probably get in a lot of trouble, we are on probation'  
_So young and already in trouble._  
'I can offer you a deal'  
At this, Sam rose an eyebrow.  
'I can get you tickets if you promise you won't get into more trouble until you get back home'  
'We are kinda homeless'  
_Shit._  
_I can't save the whole world, can I?_  
'Then at least avoid trouble until I catch my flight'  
'Hmm' he turned around to Mallorie. I don't think they spoke, I couldn't hear a thing, maybe they just signalled with their hands or had some kind of mutual understanding. Sam turned around again and offered his hand. I shook it.  
'Deal'  
I smiled and looked down at my hand. It was still attached and in one piece, despite the threats.  
'And what do you mean by " _kinda homeless_ "?' I air-quoted.  
'We lost our parents long time ago, We...got separated'  
_Parents_. Are those siblings? I looked at Sam's ears.  
'What do you mean, you _lost_ them?'  
' _Ah_?' he looked at his sister and she nodded. He stared at her and she insisted, nodding at him again.  
'Well, we were assaulted by a bunch of gansters once on our way home and our parents told us to run and hide, which is what we did'  
The girl spoke 'We hid for half a day and then walked home, but they didn't come back. We waited for whole three days but no one came. After our food supplies were running low, we decided to go out and look for them'  
I noticed her eyes getting watery as she continued  
'But we never found them, so we are on the run now'  
_I_... ahm... _damn_...

'We couldn't go back to the house, they gansters may have been trailing us'  
'Don't you have any relatives you can visit? Maybe they know the whereabouts of your parents'  
'We...have an uncle in Patchburg or the City of Vale, I don't know where he is now, but he is kind of a drunkard...'  
I don't like what my gut is telling me.  
'Keep trying finding your parents but also try to find your uncle, it's maybe better than being on the run all the time, stealing to survive'  
'I guess...'  
'What about the authorities?'  
'What? The only thing they care for is to _catch_ us, _separate_ us and lock us up'  
'And what about school? You should get proper education, I can see you both are resourceful and clever, you should have no problems to get good grades'  
'We won't get admitted in any school mister, we have already a criminal record'  
_Arghh..._

'...I know it sounds pretty basic, but you need to eat.  
Maybe you are lucky and someone wants to help you, have you tried a foster family?'

'We aren't that young, you know. No one wants troublesome teenagers. And we don't want to get separated'

I think I might have cornered myself into that one.

'What about you, mister?' Asked the girl.

'What? Me?' _Adopting_ them?  
'To be completely honest, I couldn't support you. I only have this money because a friend tried to help me out so I can get to Vale'  
Her shoulders sank and I felt pretty awful, but it was the truth.  
'...And even then, what I will be doing won't allow me to take care of you, it is probable I won't come back for months'  
. _..or at all._ That went unsaid.

Somewhere, in a place near my heart, an idea began forming

Mallorie noticed Owen's eyebrows go up, as if he had noticed something he hadn't before.

_She is very perceptive._

I cleared my throat 'Ok. Do and try to reach your uncle, ok? I can't do much either right now.  
Now, come, let us get some tickets for you, ok?'

We walked through the aisles until we found a ticket collector and I told her, the kids had jumped just in time onto the train but couldn't buy a ticket at the station, so I wanted to buy some for them now.

'You know this _actually_ means a legal offense...' Said the female collector.  
'Yes, I know, but we got caught in a fight with criminals and almost lost the train. I am sorry. I will pay whatever extra fee they need to pay'

The collector looked at the three of them, decided their plea wasn't completely untruthful and chuckled  
'I will let this pass, you have behaved so far and you look like nice, decent people, but next time please buy your tickets in advance, ok?' She smiled warmly and sold them tickets.  
'We will do, thank you very much!'  
The collector chuckled, turned around and kept walking through the aisle, controlling tickets.

'That was close' Sam uttered.  
'Did you hear what she said?'Owen questioned Sam.  
'Ahm...which part?'  
'The " _You have behaved_ " part'  
'Right...'  
'Have you?'  
'Not quite entirely behaved, no...'  
'If you want to avoid problems and appeal to people's hearts, try behaving first and tell them the truth'  
'Yes, sir!' He was being mostly serious this time. Mallorie grinned.  
'But Owen, you _lied_ to that lady' she noted.  
This girl _is_ certainly clever. 'Not entirely. I really fought against a bunch of criminals. They tried to hurt my friend back in Pockety'  
'But why?' I heard Sam ask.  
'They attacked us because she is a faunus'  
At that, Mallorie's expression brightened up. 'You have a faunus friend? My brother gets harassed often by other humans.  
I am his only human friend' she looked down while saying the last bit.  
Looking at Mallorie I corrected her thoughts swiftly. 'Now he has two'  
She smiled when Owen looked to Sam as they continued talking.  
Sam, was still concentrated on the story 'Criminals?'  
'Yeah, there were three of them and they tried to separate us and beat her' at that they noticed Owen's expression harden and his eyes literally change color, but it happened so quickly, they couldn't tell if they had imagined it.  
'Three against two? That is quite unfair'  
'I didn't let my friend fight, she is quite capable but those guys were out to harm her and very dangerous'  
Sam couldn't believe it 'You took three guys all by yourself?!'  
'Well...you could say so. I actually just punched one guy and attacked the leader, making them retreat. Bloodshed is not always necessary'  
Sam thought Owen may really be powerful. But certainly not a _hero_. No. Not a hero.

Mallorie asked how those guys looked like, to stay away from this kind of people.  
Owen described them as normal looking, not really different from any person on the street and then he remembered.  
'They had charcoal clothes, one of them had a whip and I can clearly remember them having a kind of symbol. It was...an ornate symbol, a black symbol inside of a white circle of a person wielding a pistol and a whip and I think there was a crystal, a dust crystal hovering over the person'

At this, both kids did a double take, opened their eyes and a terrified expression appeared in Mallorie's face.

Owen stopped talking when he noticed the change of mood.  
'Do you know those people?'

Sam answered first, a shaky but determined tone in his voice 'Yes. Those are the people who attacked our parents'  
Owen was left speechless. A mix of anger and horror crossed his very soul but he didn't let it show.  
He just noticed Sam was still talking '...and I mean, those are probably other people, but their symbol is the same'  
At this, Owen was relieved, but not entirely. Those people were most probably capable of the same evil.  
He would have to look into this at some point.  
'Ok. I will remember this if I see those criminals again'

With the immediate ticket problem solved, I turned around to return to my compartment when I felt someone tugging at my jacket.  
It was Mallorie. Sam was looking down and away, obviously too prideful to ask.  
'May we sit with you, mister?'  
He smirked at that. 'Of course, I'd enjoy that. And call me Owen'  
'You can call me Mal then'  
'Ok Mal. Is your brother coming?' Sam was fidgeting with his feet.  
She motioned for him and we walked to the compartment.  
'Do you have a scroll by the way?'  
'We have a very basic one' I was about to say something but Sam nervously interrupted me 'It's not stolen!'  
'I wasn't about to say anything' I grinned. Well, now I _was_ lying. 'If you excuse me, I need to make a call'  
I exited the compartment and walked the aisle up and down. I cannot keep calm when I am on the telephone.

A sweet voice answered on the other line and I heard the wind rushing and horses neighing in the background.

'Yes, Owen?'  
'Myra...'  
'Ahm yes?'  
'Why are you riding back home ...alone?' He guessed.  
'Ahm' She cackled nervously 'well...you caught me... I... do owe you now, right?' ...Owen usually guessed right.  
'I just wanted to make sure you would get back home safe and sound'  
'I will manage, I will make a small detour and sleep on a traveller cottage along the way' Owen had his doubts on that, but he would trust her.  
'Ok. Now, can you hear me clearly enough?'  
'Sure, what is troubling you? Did you get into the wrong train?'  
'It's not that...'  
'Well?...?  
Owen cleared his throat. 'Myra...you told me, you wanted to save the world once?'  
Myra made a thoughtful " _hm_ " in response.  
'Do you want to start saving someone's world instead?'  
I heard the rushing wind diminish, she had slowed down.  
That had caught her attention.

It was a big favor, even if it didn't mean forever, it was a lot to ask, a lot of responsibility and trouble that may ensue.

Myra slowed down and listened intently, what was Owen suggesting?  
'I ...I wanted to ask you something and it is something complicated to explain but...'  
She really liked it when he babbled, but what was he trying to tell her?  
'Owen. Talk to me. Don't beat around the bush'  
He stopped babbling and then he explained it to her.

As Owen came back to the compartment, he had a smug smile on his face. Mal noticed the sad look in his eyes though.  
_I didn't want to trouble Myra anymore_ , Owen thought to himself.  
Owen excused himself and fell in a deep slumber, jokingly teasing Sam to leave his case where it was.

Mal turned to Sam and whispered. 'Es, we are causing this man lots of trouble. We should leave him in peace'  
'I think you are right Mal, but if we leave now, we will trouble him more. We are already involved'  
Mal frowned but nodded. She liked it when her brother was insightful like that. He sometimes had another perspective she hadn't thought about.

Arriving at Patchburg, they shook Owen's shoulder but he seemed to be really out, he was even _snoring_!  
Sam had an idea, he was certain, it would wake Owen up.  
Owen's eyes shot open and he stared at his case, which had been grabbed by Sam 'We had to wake you up somehow'.  
Sam's pleased expression never diminished as he let go of the case.  
'You smug rascal' _Yep. They were clever and resourceful_. Owen was oddly proud.

As they descended from the train, Owen gently tapped both teens on the shoulder, getting their attention.  
'Sam, Mal? I need you to come with me but I will need to sort out something first'  
'Sure, there isn't really a place we have to go right now, to be honest' Sam quipped.  
A little smile appeared on Owen's face.

He bought a ticket to the City of Vale and looked at the airship schedule.

Owen then turned around and started walking.  
He looked back and called for the siblings 'Ok folks, follow me'  
Sam frowned and Mal looked puzzled when they returned to the train station.  
'I will buy you tickets back to Pockety, there you will be picked up by a good friend of mine. She will give you shelter but you shall help her with the animals and whatever she needs a hand with. Does that sound like a fair deal?'  
'But why are you doing this?' Sam questioned.  
'Why not? She can use helping hands and you could use some food and some education, you can learn a lot from her'  
'Why is she willing to help _us_?' Mal demanded.  
'That's something you will have to ask herself.  
Rest assured, she is a kind person and I think she may be willing to help you in your quest,  
but that comes in second place'  
Mallorie seemed happy even if she was confused.  
_Sam...oh Sam_ , Owen thought for a moment before he grabbed Sam by the collar and whispered in a menacing tone  
'Don't you dare to cause her trouble. I can make an exception to my no-bloodshed-rule, just for you'.  
'Yyyy...yes sir!'  
In a more relaxed tone, he added 'Simply call me Owen, I know you will behave. Just don't do anything stupid, ok? She is the faunus friend I talked about'  
At this, Sam visibly relaxed and some gleam returned to his eyes. He _was_ worried the friend would be a _human_ , Owen realized.  
In an afterthought, he softened up and spoke gently to him 'I wouldn't let something happen to you or your sister. And I am sending you to the person I trust most. Don't worry and please don't run away if there is trouble. Speak with her first. Or call me, ok?'  
'Ok. I...we will'  
'Attaboy'  
'What?'  
'Nevermind. Keep what I said in mind, ok?'  
'Sure'  
Owen raised his voice so Mal could hear him again 'Ok, let's go, you got to catch a train. But let us buy some tickets first.  
You need to stay out of trouble' he smirked while saying this.

After he had sent them off, not without a heartfelt hug from Mal and a clumsy handshake from Sam, he walked to the Skyport where he would take an airship and get to mainland Vale.

He heard some young kids talking excitedly and he observed as an adult smirked and shook his head overhearing the conversation.  
'Yes, next Year I can go to Signal and I will kick ass like my brother does!'  
At this, Owen slowed down. He _was_ on _Patch_. He could go to Signal Academy and meet Qrow. But then he reconsidered.  
I don't think Qrow is _ever_ actually at the school. It is probably some kind of disguise and he just trained his nieces. And I need to talk to Ozpin, not Qrow, he pondered. He thought long about it, but decided to rely on information he had, not risky unknowns and wild guesses. He usually _did_ listen to the voice of reason in his head but often decided to ignore it if the situation required it.

The flight would take a short while but certainly less than the train.

Owen sat down in one of the benches and looked at the clock. Still 25 Minutes. He could enjoy a little respite from fighting criminals and making teenagers listen to reason.  
_Shit_  
That is all I will be doing for the next time being. They are mostly 17, right? _Ow, I feel old_.  
_Now that I think of it_...how old am I here anyway? Do I look the part?  
He walked to the public toilets to take a look at his face. Myra's mirror had been broken and it was one of the things she had to replace when she got to Pockety.  
_Not bad_. Owen thought for himself. A tad younger, whole 6 years. I looked old even back then already, but closer to 18 than now, that's for sure. It will have to do.  
He also looked slimmer. _That **is** nice_ , he was pleased. _Getting old makes you fat. I tell you, stay young!_

After a short, relieving stop at the pissoir, Owen decided to go back and wait for the airship.

While walking back to the bench, Owen smiled when he saw an ad of Pumpkin Pete's showing Pyrrha Nikos.  
_A real beauty indeed_.  
He was tempted to buy a box but he remembered Pyrrha saying those were quite unhealthy.

He rummaged in his bag and picked an apple, he hadn't eaten since breakfast.

Myra had given Owen that bag for his belongings, the things he had bought in Pockety and some snacks.

Interrupting his musings, the airship docked and opened the doors, letting a couple of people out before Owen presented his ticket and boarded the ship.

The flight was quite uneventful and smooth, despite the moving metal wings, which remembered Owen of a flying whale.

Between the clouds he saw it. The water glistering at the port and the tall buildings of the City of Vale.  
Further away, he spotted Beacon Academy overlooking the city, resting on the top of a cliff.

I was _there_. _I was finally in Vale_.  
  


* * *

 

 _Dry your eyes now, baby;_  
_Broken wings won't hold you down._  
_You'll take flight soon, baby._  
_You'll be lifted up,_  
_And you'll be there._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N:
> 
> Some of the reasons why this chapter wasn't up earlier were:
> 
> 1) Procrastination, despite a big chunk of the chapter being already written to some extent. (10%)  
> 2) My betareader (Shavranekto [SN]) kept me busy fixing some minor errors in previous chapters. (7%)  
> 3) Rewriting some parts of this chapter (1%)  
> 4) Considering jumping off a cliff after re-reading some of the errors SN pointed out. (25%)  
> 5) *snort*/Pancakes!/ (2%)  
> 6) Soundtrack (find the value of x = %)  
> 7) Cover/Art research/commission/design/timeline research/location scouting/geography of Remnant/corroborate lore (50%)  
> 8) Competitive Dogfighting. No. Don't ask. (3%)  
> 9)...To be Continued...
> 
> ps:  
> I want to change some of the formatting to clearly separate Narrator, Owen's thoughts and those of everybody else.  
> This being the first chapter done according to this. (I may have to come back and fix some lines here and there.)  
> Owen's thoughts will only be in cursive if they may be confused with someone else's thoughts or the narrator.  
> Cursive will only be used to emphasize thoughts if he is thinking all by himself.
> 
> I will fix retroactively this formatting issue for chapter 1 and 2 in the next days.


	4. EP 4 - Arrival

_Vale_. A city full of pride, mysteries and colorful people.

Owen was contemplating out of the window as the airship floated above the lake separating the City of Vale and Beacon Academy.  
Far below the Academy, he could spot a port with some small boats connecting the city and Beacon.

Owen always had wondered why so few seemed to use them.

As the airship made the final adjustments to dock, he felt a rush of excitement. And dread.  
He still didn't know if he would be able to stop the onslaught in time.

His gaze swept through the passengers. Mostly everyday commuters, he thought.  
A nervous, brown haired teen; A fox faunus with an unusual combination of red, black and blue spiked hair ;

A young mother with two excited kids.  
Something caught his eye, an elderly man was reading the newspaper, _Vale Times_.  
 _Roman Torchwick_ 's grin was clearly printed onto an article.

If he is still alive, this must be before the Vytal Tournament, Owen thought. _That's good. I guess._

Owen's train of thought suddenly stopped when the hatch sprang open. He was slightly startled, stumbling forward as he exited the ship.

He looked up, Beacon Academy with its elegant tower hovering above the blooming gardens before him, waiting to share its secrets.

Walking on, he noticed the serenity surrounding Beacon.  
He was certain, the attack couldn't have happened yet, they were all too relaxed.

A pair of purple orbs accompanied by a mischevious grin bumped into him.  
He was slightly dazed and for a moment and he believed he had seen someone he... _knew.  
_ Indeed, he knew this person from sometime, somewhere...  
He was pondering what was so familiar about...her, but then his concentration faltered and his thoughts were put to an abrupt end by the loud and apparently never-ending rambling of a rather clamorous, moustached and portly hunter better known as Professor _Peter Port_.

Alongside of him walked an even more infamous huntress known by the name of _Glynda Goodwitch_ who was subject to his constant ramblings.  
Her expression wasn't a pleased one. Observing more closely, Owen could notice she was trying to put some distance between her and Port, to no avail.

Despite the corpulent appearance of Professor Port, he was quite able to keep up.

_This is my chance._

He apologized rather absent-mindedly to the girl, just pausing a moment to look into those purple eyes he was sure to know from somewhere. He then trotted off to meet the teachers.

 _Just running away was probably rude of me, but I cannot lose them from sight_ , he thought to himself.  
They will expel me from the academy grounds if the find me wandering around the buildings looking for Ozpin.

Owen knew just sneaking into the school wouldn't end well.

He decided speaking to Glynda was worth a try. Talking to her was probably the fastest way to get to Ozpin.

'Miss G...' _Oh._ There is no way I could know her name, right?  
Owen cleared his throat and tried a different approach.  
'Excuse me ma'am, maybe you could help me. I wanted to speak to the headmaster'

Miss Goodwitch turned around and looked him in the eye. _Pretty threatening_.  
'And you would be?'  
'Owen Crown. I'm sorry, I just thought you could know, you look like a teacher'  
'Like _old and bad tempered_?' She arched a brow and hovered before the weirdly clothed student, _at least it was weird for her standards.  
_ 'Hah, no, no! Just, _mature_ '

At that statement, a slight smile appeared on her face just to disappear a moment afterwards.  
Owen pondered on how to explain the situation to them.

 _I just want to help against the impending bloodshed_ , it was just difficult to put it into words like that.  
Nope, that wouldn't work.

Something flashed through Glynda's face, Owen wasn't sure what had changed her demeanor but he noticed her defensive stance had relaxed a little.

'I am indeed a teacher and if you would follow me, I could bring you to the Headmaster myself'  
Ms. Goodwitch turned around and apologized herself to the portly teacher.  
'Peter, I'm sorry, I will take Mr. Crown to Ozpin, we will have to postpone this talk'

Then I realized what had brightened her mood.  
 _My request had turned into her excuse, a perfect escape plan.  
_ It seemed she would do _anything_ to get away from Port.

Glynda half heartedly waved at the sturdy professor as she turned around and led the stranger to the Headmaster.  
Professor Port observed them leave from the distance, a little disappointed this young chap had interrupted their spirited conversation.  
 _Well, it seemed rather important, the poor lad had a quite_ _ **alarmed**_ _expression_ , he contemplated.

* * *

We walked through the halls but I wasn't really paying attention, as I was more concerned not knowing what to say to Ozpin, much less if Glynda decided to be present there, listening.

She had introduced herself to Owen as a teacher and assistant to Ozpin while they walked through the gardens.

'So Mr. Crown, what kind of matter did you intend to discuss with the Headmaster?'  
 _I have to stall for time_... 'Please call me Owen'  
'Of course, Mr. Crown' _A hard nut to crack.  
_ 'It is a matter I rather discuss with him myself...'  
 _I don't think she will buy it just like that..._  
'I...want to see his reaction first' Owen fiddled with his necktie.

At that, Ms. Goodwitch turned around slightly and intrigued eyes narrowed on Owen, her pace not really slowing down.  
'It is a matter affecting the school, so I guess you coul...should join us as well' he quickly added.  
Owen saw her brow rise and Glynda stopped walking altogether.  
He thought for a moment he had said something wrong when she turned around and pressed a button on the side of some sliding doors.  
'Here we are' Glynda gestured for the doors.

 _Huh?_  
In my haze, I hadn't realized we had arrived at Ozpin's office.

Riding the elevator up, my heart began to beat irregularly.  
 _There is so much at stake here. I cannot fail._  
What should I do?

Glynda nodded for me to step inside the office and a coffee slurping Headmaster stood up to greet us.  
Ozpin shook my hand and motioned for a seat. _I've never seen any other seats in this room. He brought this for me?  
_ Goodwitch positioned herself behind the Headmaster, slightly to the side, watching over Owen.  
 _I better don't make any sudden movements._

Ozpin seemed concentrated, trying to guess the reason for Owen's hesitation, which let a small smile onto his face.  
'Mr. Crown, Ms. Goodwitch told me in advance you were coming but she wouldn't state what you wanted to discuss'  
Owen peeked at Glynda, who smirked, her eyes unfocused.

_Just when did Glynda text Ozpin and tell him? She seems to be quite good at hiding her scroll._

He proceeded to sit down while Ozpin silently observed him.  
Owen was wearing a plain white shirt with a red tie.  
He had also some worn out jeans and was wearing a leather jacket on top of that.  
Ozpin could swear he had seen a green smudge on the shirt, but it was partially covered by the jacket.

Ozpin had never seen something like this, so _out of place_.

This man was a puzzle for him.  
But Ozpin was an intellectual above all things and puzzles intrigued him.

Owen went through the facts in his head.  
He had already formed a somewhat logical explanation by that point, something believable.

'Well, I will get straight to the point. Your students are in danger'  
'We know that, Mr. Crown, this is a _Combat Academy_ after all' Glynda interjected. Ozpin raised a brow at Owen's remark.  
'Yes, what I mean is someone will target them _personally_ and will try to wreak havoc in this school.  
And they may succeed in _killing_ some of them'

That ensured a almost unnoticeable look between the two teachers.

'The correct term is Academy. And may I ask where you get this information from?' Glynda inquisitive tone rang clear in my eardrums.  
 _Hrmph._ 'I cannot tell you for varied reasons but let me assure you my only interest is the well being of your hunters in training'

I had realized I couldn't tell Ozpin the facts straight as they were, it could change enough of the future for it to be completely different, making impossible to know when they would attack or how.  
I considered withholding information was risky but certainly worth it.  
Knowing about some parts of the future may just make it possible to change it.

In the other hand, changing the future too soon may make some things inevitable.

Ozpin cleared his throat and I realized, I must have zoned out.  
He repeated the question he had asked before.  
This time, it was Ozpin who talked with his eyes slightly narrowed.  
'What would you want in exchange for this information, Mr. Crown?'

_In exchange?_

'I...' Owen gulped 'I want to watch over them'  
'Why?' Ozpin asked nonchalantly, at least he made it look that way.  
'Because those students are the best shot at peace we have and also the only way to fight the Grimm menace we have'

That was mostly true, even if my initial reasons were simply to avoid the deaths of people I _knew_ I could save somehow.  
 _Everybody wins_ , I guess.

'I doubt you are in shape to protect anyone, let alone protect yourself' Glynda remarked.

'Personally, I think that knowledge and willpower can do more damage to the enemy than raw, brute strength.  
Furthermore, the body can be trained and the mind can be nurtured' Owen noted.

_Man, am I touchy today._

Ozpin's brows relaxed and Glynda seemed more at ease, despite her narrowed eyelids.

'I have fought and protected others already, I just need to hone my skills and gain some experience' Owen concluded his plea.

'Then I reckon it would serve best both of your aspirations if you attended the Academy, like any other student'  
Glynda inhaled sharply at the comment but didn't interrupt Ozpin.

Owen's own brows rose and he barely managed to stop himself from hugging Ozpin. 'I think, I like that proposition'

Glynda was quick to bring him back down to Earth...err _Remnant_.  
'You should not talk about this meeting to anyone until we know more about the dangers it implies or the perpetrators'  
'That goes without saying' Owen nodded.  
'Then the matter is settled' Ozpin was a man of few words.  
Owen could certainly respect that.

Ozpin took another gulp of his coffee, rose from his chair and took his hand to his chin.  
He didn't motion for Owen to stand up, so he remained seated.

Ozpin was deep in thought, concentrated in the stranger before him  
His gut told him this individual was probably interested in the newly arrived students, the freshmen.  
Probably team RWBY, he was sure of it, but he might be concerned regarding other teams as well, like... the team of Jaune Arc, the boy who had entered the Academy with forged documents.  
Ozpin certainly knew of that.  
Mr. Arc couldn't fool him, no matter how well forged those documents were.

But this guy, he was an unknown in every respect.

That made the man in front of him even more interesting. And _dangerous._  
Mr. Crown didn't even try to cheat his way into his Academy.  
Owen was outright _asking_ for it.

Ozpin decided he would have to ask Glynda for her opinion later.  
She had always been a good judge in character whenever he was grasping in the dark.  
They could always kick Owen out of the Academy or take him down if necessary.  
It was worrisome if this man were a part of those who were to harm their students.

Ozpin kept deliberating on the subject.

 _Desperation in his voice? Dishonest intentions?_ Owen seemed to be on their side. He seemed sincere.  
Would he harm his students? _No, not my students_. But what about the staff?

 _Hm._ This man seemed to follow his convictions throughly, he wouldn't compromise the students.  
He would attack the staff if necessary.

'Mr. Crown? Just one more thing'  
'Please, call me Owen'  
'Owen, will you look after them, no matter who or what is trying to harm them?'  
'Yes, I will' There was confidence in his voice.

'And if this foe is overwhelming and relentless?'  
'I won't give up..'

Glynda was about to interrupt, but Owen's gaze followed her and she could almost feel the weight of his words when he spoke them.

'...no matter what this means for myself. I know, this won't come without sacrifices, without a cost'  
His eyes were fierce, his voice masked in determination.  
His heart full of doubt.  
But they wouldn't know that.

'Very well, we will decide on which team you'll be assigned to and inform you'

Ozpin meant to conclude the meeting, he had risen from his seat and when he grabbed Owen's hand to shake it, he felt _something_...

'Thank you, Mr...?' Owen realized he had never heard Ozpin's last name. Or maybe Ozpin _was_ his last name.  
'Just call me Ozpin'  
' _Or Headmaster_ ', Glynda coughed inbetween.  
'Ok. Thanks Ozpin'

 _Where will I sleep tonight_ was the question nagging at Owen's mind.  
He hoped he could get a room for a few days in Vale for the money he still had left.  
After that...he didn't know.  
He would have to get a job, probably. _Good luck with that, without any papers._

Owen had turned around and was almost out to the elevator when Ozpin motioned for Glynda and gestured Owen to wait for her.  
Glynda bowed down to Ozpin, who was sitting behind his desk.  
Ozpin spoke softly to Glynda, Owen being too far away to actually hear something.  
Glynda looked Ozpin in the eye in an silent, asking expression and nodded slightly.

Ozpin spoke louder this time, for Owen to hear.  
'You may visit the Academy. But as all teams have been already assembled, I will have to assign you to one of the freshmen teams'

Glynda took her scroll out and showed it to Ozpin, who seemed to consider something.  
'Let me see. I think team JNPR would be the best choice, Glynda.'

Owen was about to protest but then it occurred to him he wasn't supposed to know anything regarding teams or individuals.  
He couldn't discuss about anything without exposing himself.

Ozpin noticed his hesitation.  
'Something the matter? Is this assignation troubling for you?'

 _As if he knew what I was thinking._ But what could I do? Nothing but accept.

'It's nothing, I just hope they accept me into their team'

'Oh, I wouldn't worry so much about it, this team seems to make new friends quickly.  
I don't think you will have trouble settling in'

 _Wait. Why would I even reject it? It was exactly what I wanted. Maybe because of_. _ **... nah**_.

'You may stay in the Academy from now on,' Ozpin nodded to Glynda as he spoke to Owen.  
'...Miss Goodwitch will bring you to the rooms'

'That would be all, Mr. Crown'

'Thank you for your time' Owen made a slight nod and turned around to leave.

When the sliding doors closed, Ozpin was left alone with his many thoughts.  
The Headmaster took another sip of his coffee. Something shimmered on the dark surface.

 _I don't know how far you are willing to go stranger, but I will let you try._  
Ozpin decided embracing this new opportunity may be the best course of action,  
despite being something completely unexpected.  
 _It may come in handy in the future, more beneficial than dangerous._

* * *

After that meeting, Owen couldn't help it but to wonder.

Why was Ozpin so willing to let him into the school? The man knew certainly more than he was letting show.

Time would tell him, he hoped.

His thoughts were interrupted when Glynda cleared her throat and seemed to ask him something.  
'I'm sorry, what were you saying?'  
'You've almost lost an entire semester of readings, classes and combat training'  
'I can make up for it'  
'Are you sure?'  
'Yes. I will manage somehow'

_It wouldn't be the first time I have to catch up years of classes and training in a short time frame._

Glynda looked at him intently 'It would be easier if you stayed back...'  
'No, it won't matter. At some point I will be forced to leave classes for missions I have no clearance for.  
It will happen eventually anyway, evil never waits until you are ready'

They walked down through the corridors, Owen tailing close behind Glynda Goodwitch.

I never understood why so many people liked her. I mean, her character was ok-ish, she was a teacher after all and should be somewhat intimidating and she was badass.  
It was the ... _hotness_ he didn't get. Of course she was attractive. ...tailing her was certainly clouding his judgement in that regard...

Glynda turned her head around and looked after him.  
Seeing Owen hadn't wandered off and was just looking around, she kept her pace, leading him to his designated dormitory.

Owen was glad he had just stopped eyeing a certain witch just a second before she turned her attention to him, otherwise he would have been a _very_ dead man.

Myra's words resonated in his head. _It's impolite to stare._  
He chuckled at himself.

Glynda knocked twice on the door and announced herself. After a few moments, a voice I would later realize as Jaune's told her to come in.  
She opened the door and was about to make introductions but to her surprise, Owen interjected her attempt to explain the new arrival, despite having a somewhat nervous expression.

'This is Mr...'  
Owen turned around to Glynda and grinned 'Miss Goodwitch, Thanks but I think am old enough to introduce myself'  
She raised an eyebrow and nodded for him to continue. If she was offended, she didn't show it.

He turned around to the strangers before him and introduced himself. _Well. Not strangers...but you get my drift..._  
'Hello, I am Owen, I may be staying with you for the time being'

Glynda seemed in a hurry to leave...  
'Then I shall leave the introductions and further explaining to yourself, Mr. Crown'  
She left the room swiftly, but just before the door closed, an unusual smirking Glynda's appeared again, leaning into the room.

'Ah and Mister Crown?'  
'Yes?'  
'Meet me at the Atrium tomorrow at 7:30 for your initiation'

Owen visibly gulped. Nora grinned. Ren and Pyrrha didn't. Something told them Owen would have to fight alone and it wouldn't be easy.

A glint of malice glowed in the teacher's eyes 'I think you are also old enough to _fight for your life_ '  
With that, she left and closed the door behind her. With her gone, there was no way to argue about it.

 _That was just plain evil,_ Owen thought. The perks of being a teacher, he guessed.

Seeing Owen's troubled expression, Jaune tried to help him out with what he thought was causing his concern.  
'The atrium is in front of the conference hall, pretty easy to spot'  
Pyrrha smiled and made Jaune aware of something he might have failed to realize.  
'Jaune, he probably doesn't know where that is either'  
'Oh, right, but we can show you the way there tomorrow before classes if you want'  
'Yeah, that would be nice guys'

 _Awkward introduction, here we go._  
'Sooo...Hello there. I am Owen, Owen Crown. I guess I might be now in your team.  
I hope you don't mind. I will try to avoid making much trouble.

Pyrrha offered a 'Hello' before looking to Jaune, who was startled by her gaze and offered his hand.  
'Oh, hello, I am Jaune. I am the appointed leader of team JNPR. J is for Jaune , N would be Nora  
Nora grinned. Owen just smiled and offered a hand which Nora shook vigorously.  
Jaune continued the introductions 'P would be Pyrrha', who waved and smiled. 'Hello Again'  
'And R would be me, Ren', who nodded politely to Owen.

Jaune pointed to the couch 'Feel free to unpack your things, I think you can put your bags beside the couch'

Team JNPR began preparing their notebooks and school papers for the coming day.  
Ren looked to Nora and asked if she had done all her papers for tomorrow.  
She nodded and jumped to her bed, giggling. 'Story time!' Ren sighed with an inevitable smile on his face.

Owen grinned at the pair's awkward interactions, Nora's quirkiness and Ren's patience with her.

They had left him to his devices, so he turned around and decided to unpack.  
 _Oh. Right._

He had virtually nothing to unpack. His very possesions were in the bag Myra had bought him but as far he could recall, there was not really much in it besides a change of underwear and some snacks.  
He wanted to buy more clothes in Vale but had totally forgotten it.  
And his suitcase was still jammed.

Owen felt his muscles and bones slightly aching. _It has been a long trip,_ he thought to himself.  
Shaving would be nice, if only for the sake of appear younger and avoid awkward questions.  
 _Whose daddy are you? Who are you visiting?_ Owen mentally facepalmed at the stupid image in his head.  
Then he scratched involuntarly his chin.  
Ren casually approached him and whispered 'I just have one straight razor for shaving but I can show you tomorrow where to get one in Vale'

Surprised at Ren's willingness to help him and the observation skills of the quiet asian guy with the pink streak, Owen simply smiled and nodded his thanks.

 _Wait. Not_ _ **asian**_ _, just asian looking. There is no Asia in Remnant_.  
Owen had always wondered how Remnant different cultures developed.

'Ren, I want to know what happened to the badass princess!'  
Ren quickly made an apologetic expression 'Duty calls'  
'Thanks Ren, I appreciate it'  
Owen felt sympathy for Ren but all he could do was smiling.

* * *

While walking the way back to her room, Glynda decided to check up on Ozpin before calling it a night.

Something like this was likely to keep him busy or intrigue him.  
She had seen his _chess expression_ and knew what it usually meant.

She knew him pretty well.

The elevator doors opened, showing again the spacious room where Ozpin worked and met his guests in the academy.  
Glynda cleared her throat and Ozpin motioned for her to sit down on the seat he had brought initially for Owen.

As she felt the silence had stretched long enough, she decided to speak up.  
'It has been an eventful day Ozpin, what keeps you awake?'

'It would make sense for Atlas to send one of their spies' Ozpin was thinking out loud.  
'Atlas? He seemed of a... _warmer_ kind.'  
'Glynda, you of all of us know best how hotheaded James can be and he _is_ from Atlas.  
'Point taken. I still don't think Owen Crown is a spy...'

After an inquisitive look from Ozpin, she added 'Not from Atlas anyway'

'Time shall grant us more answers' Ozpin took a sip of his dark, liquid treasure.  
He squinted, his eyes unfocused, roaming around the room, a clear sign he was deep in thought.

Glynda had simpler questions nagging at her mind. _How come he never runs out of coffee?_

Ozpin blinked a few times and looked up again 'I just hope we didn't make another mistake'

'Should we ask James about this?' Glynda had a concerned expression on her face, different from her usual scowls.

He returned to his thinking stance 'I don't think he would tell us'  
Some secrets are meant to remain undiscovered. _And something tells me not even Ironwood knows about this man._

Glynda looked out of the window and recalled their meeting with Owen.  
'Mr. Crown was a little...different. I entertained the thought he wasn't a spy at all, albeit only for a few moments'.

'Even if he is a spy, the information he gave us may be still correct, we cannot afford to leave our guard down'  
Ozpin took another sip of his coffee and continued.

'There are many unknowns. They may be getting better at lying or our judgement is getting worse, Glynda'  
'Speaking of bad judgement, we haven't heard much from Qrow lately'  
'I sent him on a special mission, I hope we hear something soon, it worries me'

'What worries you? Qrow, or the mission you sent him after?'  
 _'Both'_

* * *

I am here. This is awesome. _A fanboy kind of awesome._  
Standing in my room is Jaune Arc, a tall blonde with a bad case of goofballitis and who is maybe brighter than he gets credit for.  
Nora Valkyre. Fear her. No matter if you are on her side or against her. Fear her. And prepare for soul-crushing hugs.  
Pyrrha Nikos. The greek hero with lightspeed reflexes who will listen to your fears and will always have your back.  
Lie Ren, the misterious, silent and most patient of companions. Words aren't needed if you have trust.

Owen Crown. A completely broken, suitcase swinging, not-a-real-hero, student dropout. _  
Damn, I really have to work on my résumé.  
_

Pyrrha, who was probably thinking my troubled expression was because of more serious reasons, tried to lift my spirits.  
'Don't worry about tomorrow, you can do it.' Her smile didn't convince me much, to be honest.  
'You cannot know that Pyrrha, he may as well die in the woods after encountering the very first Grimm.  
Or maybe he trips and get smashed by talking stones or gets scorched by burning, dancing trees!'  
'Nora!' Ren facepalmed.  
'Oh, sorry Owen, I'm pretty sure you can do it, I mean, you managed to get to Beacon, right? You cannot be that bad'

At that statement, the concerned look in Jaune's face told Owen a lot of things.  
Jaune probably wasn't scared of them knowing about how he got into Beacon. Not anymore at least. They were his friends.  
He was scared sharing that bit of information with Owen, a total stranger who could betray him to Ozpin.

'Owen?' Pyrrha was worried now. Owen seemed rather absorbed by the initiation due tomorrow.

Oh, sorry, I spaced out'

Jaune 'You were probably thinking of a landing strategy, right?'  
'What?' I wanted to ask them about that actually. Maybe they had exaggerated it in the show for dramatic purposes. Had they?  
Jaune shrugged.'Nevermind'   
He then scratched the back of his head. 'It's usually Ruby who asks this kind of awkward questions, but what weapons do you have?'  
Ruby's weapon fixation seems to be well known...

'Well, I have a sword and...my suitcase'  
'A suitcase. As a shield?' The incredulous look in Ren's face told me, suitcases weren't used as shields here.  
Unsurprisingly neither did they in my world.

'Exactly. It was more by chance than anything, I got attacked by Grimm and took what I had at hand'  
'Ohhh was it an Ursai? No no no, I bet it was a Beowolf...'  
Ren tapped on the redhead's shoulder, who turned around, bubbly as ever, to her together-not-so-together partner in crime.  
'Nora, I am pretty sure Owen is exhausted, at least as much as we are. I bet he will tell us his stories another day, now we got to catch some sleep' Ren winked at him, who nodded his thanks.  
Nora listened to Ren's reasoning. She pouted but conceded defeat in the end.

 _Stories about monsters and cat girls will have to wait, Nora,_ Owen thought and felt bad for disappointing her.  
Owen was glad for Ren's intervention. He felt indeed like a walking wreck.  
Maybe being on the edge the whole day had burned off his nerves and exhausted him more than it should have.

He stretched his limbs, fearing they might fall of their sockets and yawned involuntarly.  
'I think I will take the couch then'  
'We could take a look for a bed...' Pyrrha offered.  
'Nah, don't worry. I will talk to Ms. Goodwitch tomorrow. If I survive the initiation, that is. ' Owen grinned.  
Nora gave him two thumbs up and winked.  
Ren and Pyrrha gave him a weak smile, more worried than anything.

Probably thinking about what would have happened to Jaune if he faced the odds alone back then.  
Or if they had to fight all those Grimm alone.  
Jaune himself hadn't fought too bad in the initiation, but the further classes and combat training got, the more concerned they were of his abilities or the lack of talent.  
  
Jaune came out of the bathroom, wearing his characteristic onesie and brushing his teeth. 'Shu shd shmthng? Bhtrum s yahrs'  
'No, don't worry Jaune, just tell me when you are done' Owen was perplexed he actually understood what Jaune had meant to say.  
  
One cracking noise outside the room got Owen's attention.  
A moment later, someone knocked at the door.  
  
'Jaune, are you still awake? It's me, Ruby.'  
'Whaibtlagfmhumgl' Owen clearly heard Ren facepalming behind him.  
Jaune took the brush out of his mouth and spoke again, this time also understandable for us, human beings.  
'Oh, yeah Ruby, come in'

Ruby, the young and charismatic leader of team RWBY entered the room.  
She was wearing her sweet pyjamas and had an already sleepy face.  
'We wanted, well team RWBY wanted tomorrow to...' At the unusual sight in the room Ruby paused, blinked and rubbed her eyes.

'Uh, you have a visitor?' Her right brow rose up, almost theatrically.  
'Hi, it's more like a temporary member...' Owen replied.

Ruby's eyes brightened up 'A new member?! That's awesome!'  
Owen offered a hand which Ruby quickly took. 'Ah um, hi, I'm Ruby'  
'Hello Ruby, I am Owen'

'Oh, you got to meet my team...ehm...' she looked to the her closest friends in team JNPR for a silent sign of approval, which came from both Jaune as a smile and from Pyrrha as a slight nod.

She disappeared into the corridor and crossed to their own room.  
You could still distinguish the voices, as both doors weren't closed

'There is a new guy in team JNPR!'  
Weiss wasn't exactly quiet. 'What!? This late in the middle of the semester? This is unprecedented! Who does he think he is?'  
They could clearly hear Yang huff as well. It was just Blake who remained silent or couldn't be heard.  
  
Not even two full seconds after that, Yang was striding into the room and stopped just shy of hers and Owen's noses touching together.

'Hello guys ah girls...erm you know what I mean' Jaune greeted team RWBY, whose entrance had only been given away by the cracking noise in the corridor.  
He shut up quickly at the scene unfolding before of them.

Yang seemed surprised 'You?'  
'Me?' Owen was slightly startled but he recognized the pair of purple eyes he had met earlier.  
At this distance, he was rather sure those were the same, if her surprised look was proof enough.  
'Nevermind. First of all, let me be very clear, if you just look my little sister the wrong way, you will never experience the joy of being a father'

'Ahm. I'm Owen. And you don't have to worry too much about your little...'  
'Hey' Ruby interjected while pouting.  
Owen continued' ... _younger_ sister, at least not in my regard'

He grinned awkwardly. _Maybe I will get alive out of this, somehow ._

Yang still wasn't sure if this guy would beg for his life or he was just good at gambling.  
She had decided she would let him live _for now.  
_ But there were still things to be cleared yet. She poked him with one finger in his chest.  
'Just a reminder Cheesecake, never tell me what I have to do'  
  
After that had sunk in, she offered her hand again and firmly shook Owen on the spot.  
'I'm Yang'  
Owen relaxed a little and an involuntary smile appeared on his face.  
 _Of course you are._

'Ruby is my sister and this here is Blake, my partner.' The rest of team RWBY seemed to have slipped into the room while I was fearing for my life, err _talking to Yang_.

'Hello, nice to meet you' she offered Owen her hand and a smile, which was, for Blake, a whole lot.  
Yang was a little confused at her partner's unfamiliar forwardness. She would ask her later about that.

Owen peeked at her bow while he gently shook her hand. Yang noticed him glancing but didn't know what he was looking for.  
How she noticed him looking, you might ask. It's not like she had been looking at his eyes. _Nope. Not at all._

An annoyed sound could be heard from the direction the Schnee heiress was standing. ' _Hey_ '  
'Oh yes, this is Weiss, my partner', Ruby explained.

The Schnee heiress offered one of her slender hands while cocking her head slightly to the side, a greeting probably inculcated into her since an early age. ' _Sehr erfreut'_  
A German greeting? Let's try some French.  
' _Très enchanté Mademoiselle_ ' Owen bowed and pecked the back of her hand. A gentle kiss.

Weiss was puzzled in what to think about this stranger.

 _This guy knows manners and speaks weird tongues?_  
 _ **No**_. _**You are a Schnee**_ **.** _You won't fall for petty dirty tricks.  
_ _ **And he has a scruffy beard.**_

She was trying hard to ignore the unfamiliar, outlandish charm.

Owen was oblivious to Weiss' musings as was most of the group.  
But not Ruby, she was quick to notice the bemused expression which Weiss could mask most of the time through her _polite scowls_ , as Ruby liked to call them. This time though, she seemed to have lost her usual composture, if just for a tiny moment.

As if needing to explain their sudden appearance or maybe just to think of other things, Weiss cleared her throat and tried to justify themselves.  
'It's not like we were curious, we couldn't let Yang could put our reputation at risk, so we followed her'

At the blatant lie, Blake simply rolled her eyes and a small smile appeared on her face.  
Yang simply grinned and shrugged, not even trying to deny the false accusations concerning her.

The sudden silence was interrupted by Jaune, who couldn't stop himself from yawning.  
'Sorry guys, I'm just...*Yawn!*...too tired'

'I don't mind it at all, Yaaawne'  
'Yang! Damn it!'  
Blake loved the puns the blonde brawler usually made but someone had to keep her in line. Who would, if not her.  
It was difficult though, when everyone was laughing. Even Jaune.  
Weiss faked a cough to hide her laugher.  
Blake saw her and knew if she asked the heiress, Weiss would probably blame it on the exhaustion.

Ruby smiled. Jaune was right. She was sleepy too.  
The girls said their good nights and slowly went back to their room.  
  


* * *

 

Owen looked at the couch, waiting for him, offering him a well deserved rest.  
He would love something to read. _But this damn suitcase won't open._  
Being honest, he was actually pretty tired.

He went to the bathroom, loosened his tie and was slightly surprised when he grabbed into Myra's bag.  
 _She even packed a new toothbrush for me._  
  
The strange sight of grey baggy jogging pants and a _Grimms & Roses_ T-Shirt confused him.  
He was glad she had put those into the bag, he really had no other change of clothes.  
 _Myra...you didn't..._

She must have packed them before they travelled to Pockety. They were certainly hers, but she didn't mind to share.  
With brushed teeth and a fresh change of clothes, he felt grateful everything had worked out at last.

Before he passed out, he smiled unconciously.  
 _Myra, I owe you one...  
_ She was, indeed, his _guardian angel_ in this world.

Owen fell into a deep slumber on the couch.  
 _Tomorrow awaits.  
  
_

* * *

_I know that it seems pointless  
_ _I know that it feels fake  
_ _I know you can't stand the thought of  
_ _Being stray  
_ _One more day_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **A/N:**  
>  This should be the longest A/N ever done. But I will keep it short.
> 
> First of all, **thanks for returning**. I know, I had promised this chapter since...March?  
>  But, although the concept was done a while ago, I couldn't complete it, the other chapters, backstory, [story specific] lore and many other things sucked up my attention and then my newly bought laptop wouldn't work properly.
> 
> It turns out, the official updates from the maker made the keyboard useless, deactivating many keys and even the...well...it fuc*ed the laptop.  
> Using the usual OEM System restore/factory reset only managed to destroy the OS without posibility of another factory reset. That laptop is awaiting a custom setup for which I haven't had the time yet.  
> And I am doing the work of 3 at home. [This bit is censored, why would I want to write that here? XD ]
> 
> I hope I will release the 5th chapter in the next couple of days or at most, a week from now.  
> Numero 5 was actually quite complete before this one had even taken a real shape.
> 
> I am still reformatting and restructuring the earlier chapters, but I wanted to get this chapter out, so I could concentrate the work on the other chapters (earlier and later).
> 
> If something is hard to understand, please feel free to point it out.
> 
> If you find any blatant errors or grammar sins, please point them out. I usually proofread at ungodly hours.
> 
> I have caught myself tearing my hair out after reading some passages I proofread half asleep.  
> I prefer private messages, but you may leave a review too. Please, don't crush my soul. Thanks :)
> 
> By the way, this is the longest chapter I have posted so far, with almost 6500 Words. Whoa.
> 
> ps: Almost 70%* of the fic main plot points are actually written. They have been written for months, but fleshing the chapters out and ironing out inconsistencies keeps me busy.  
> *Wild Guess.
> 
> ps2: As a matter of fact, just as I was finishing this chapter (A/N already written, just proofreading etc),
> 
> I had a memory leak (or overflow, didn't really look into it), but my laptop crashed, bluescreened and reset.  
> AS THE CHAPTER WAS BEING LITERALLY BEING UPLOADED. ***FML***  
>  That's why I needed a new laptop, this one is already 10 years old and has some random glitches from time to time.
> 
> ps3: This is meant to be posted on my profile but as some of you might not see it, I'll do it here as well:  
> For most of the chapters, I envisioned certain tracks, background music or simply songs to be listened along. This is in no way something you must do. It is totally up to you.  
> Some of those cues were simply 'Working tracks' while I wrote, but they may catch the mood or ambience of the setting.  
> If you are curious, here is the link:  
> pastebin dot com /55HKWqUY  
> [It is WIP, older chapters will be updated after their revision]
> 
> ps4: I will most certainly grab my head in the morning and fix some of the formatting errors.  
> It turns out, FF won't take some of the formatting.  
> [Which, in turn, may have botched up the formatting here as well]  
> I will do what I can while my eyes still work, somehow.


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